Effect of particle shape on particle breakage inside rotating cylinders

Abstract

We study the influence of particle shape on the evolution of particle breakage process taking place inside rotating cylinders. Extensive particle dynamics simulations taking into account the dynamics of the granular flow, particle breakage, and polygonal particle shapes were carried out. We find that the rate of particle breakage is faster in samples composed of initially rounder particles. The analysis of the active flowing layer thickness suggests that for samples composed of rounder particles a relatively lower dilatancy and higher connectivity lead to a less curved free surface profile. As a result, rounder particles rolling down the free surface have a higher mobility and thus higher velocities. In consequence, the faster breakage observed for rounder initial particles is due to the larger particles kinetic energy at the toe of the flow.